A 6" Movie Master style lineup of the Michael Keaton Batman, Nicholson Joker, Michelle Peiffer Catwoman and Danny Devito Joker? I REALLY love the Hot Toys versions of Bats and Joker, but they are so big and SO expensive.

I don't see why not? They still make new Star Wars figures based on the original movies constantly. I know that might me apples and oranges but it's at least an example of one toy line which doesn't just make figures based on a current concept.

Ive asked Mattel about this repeatedly, on and off the record. It's something they'd love to do, but don't have the rights to the actor's liknesses, which were individually retained. This is the biggest hurdle to making these.

Couldn't they still make Batman and Catwoman? They don't necessarily have any real likeness to the actors while in their masks? Or is it all the same?

No, it's still considered their likeness. Hot Toys had to pay a bundle to Michael Keaton to make theirs. It's part of their contracts. Hopefully one day! I own the Hot Toys figures, but I'd buy 6" versions in a heartbeat.

Had a recent issue crop up on an advertising project that explains a bit of this.

Basically, people (famous or otherwise) own the rights to their own likeness. It seems even movies need this on paper when actors essentially lend their likeness to the film and promotional material. There are some exceptions (Parody, fair use, etc) but toy manufacturing is definitely not one of these.

Beyond that, the person in question also retains approval of the likeness, unless I guess it was waived for licensing efforts along with their movie/TV contract. Remember when NECA couldn't produce the Lucy Liu figure despite having purchased the rights to the Kill Bill franchise because she wouldn't approve it?

Upon their demise, the rights to their likeness are transferred to their estate, who then holds all approval powers.

So there are probably legal reasons why but that doesn't keep

They can be settled, of course, but not ignored.

I'm in the camp hoping they get to work on this. I'd certainly like to see Chris Reeve, Adam West, Michael Keaton, Lynda Carter and especially John Wesley Shipp as THE FLASH.

Had a recent issue crop up on an advertising project that explains a bit of this.

Basically, people (famous or otherwise) own the rights to their own likeness. It seems even movies need this on paper when actors essentially lend their likeness to the film and promotional material. There are some exceptions (Parody, fair use, etc) but toy manufacturing is definitely not one of these.

Beyond that, the person in question also retains approval of the likeness, unless I guess it was waived for licensing efforts along with their movie/TV contract. Remember when NECA couldn't produce the Lucy Liu figure despite having purchased the rights to the Kill Bill franchise because she wouldn't approve it?

Upon their demise, the rights to their likeness are transferred to their estate, who then holds all approval powers.

So there are probably legal reasons why but that doesn't keep

They can be settled, of course, but not ignored.

I'm in the camp hoping they get to work on this. I'd certainly like to see Chris Reeve, Adam West, Michael Keaton, Lynda Carter and especially John Wesley Shipp as THE FLASH.

Good points, I asked my question because I know Character Options goes through this for a lot of their figures from Doctor Who but things like Davros and other characters who are masked don't need all that red tape, so I assumed it was the same for people like Batman and Flash who have their faces covered but characters like Wonder Woman and Superman would need an actor/ estate approval. But I guess not according to Captain Collector.

Good points, I asked my question because I know Character Options goes through this for a lot of their figures from Doctor Who but things like Davros and other characters who are masked don't need all that red tape, so I assumed it was the same for people like Batman and Flash who have their faces covered but characters like Wonder Woman and Superman would need an actor/ estate approval. But I guess not according to Captain Collector.

Thing is, part of their face is showing through that mask that still makes it recognizable as Keaton or Pfiffer. Characters like Iron Man and Spider-Man most likely fall outside of such problems unless it was an unmasked or damaged mask version.

But couldn't they circumvent that? Do they really pay a fee for Bale's chin in Batman Movie Masters figures? I guess anything is possible... what about the Toy Biz homage black Batman from the '89 movie?

But couldn't they circumvent that? Do they really pay a fee for Bale's chin in Batman Movie Masters figures? I guess anything is possible... what about the Toy Biz homage black Batman from the '89 movie?

They're already paying Bale for the Bruce Wayne rights so he really isn't a good example. My bet is that they don't have the rights for Cillian Murphy hence only a masked Scarecrow figure. As for the Toy Biz homage, the sculpt was the same as the wave 1 Batman, no likeness even attempted except for color scheme.

For something a little more complex, take the Universal Monsters... Universal owns the rights to that particular "look" for each monster and can make any product they want with that look so long as it doesn't have the Karloff, Legosi, etc likeness to it as those have to be licensed seperately.

I guess a better example is Bane, is there enough there for Tom Hardy to receive any payment for that likeness? Like I said, anything is possible, just because it befuddles my mind doesn't mean it's not true.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, so I hope I don't come across as so. I guess I personally don't need the likeness complexity like some people do. Especially if that was the compromise to getting various other media related DC characters. I'd love to see the costumes though, like the TV Flash with just the Wave 7 Flash likeness from DCuC. To me it's all about the costumes, it could be anyone under there for all I know. An example being I remember reading Keaton didn't spend as much time in the Batman costume as it looks in the first movie. He had a famous martial artist (so famous I forget his name) doing his stunt work.

Granted it defeats the purpose of characters such as Christoper Reeves Superman and Linda Carter's Wonder Woman.